


The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - Through the Eyes of a Lion

by Rukiara



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-04 23:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6680431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rukiara/pseuds/Rukiara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a rewrite of City of Bones through Jace's eyes. It includes interactions not seen in the books, ways he would see scenes, etc. The story is the same, this was a request from a friend. I have all intention to stay in canon and to story. I intend to fully respect Cassandra's writing, just filling in some holes my friends and I are aching to see. Will most likely add more Malec type scenes also inspired by the show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seeing Through Pandemonium

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Woby](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Woby).



> I hope to add art to each page in the future just like I have for my Doctor who fan fic. :) Stay tuned.

It was a simple task, really. Find out who was selling mundane blood. How much easier could it get? Izzy would go in, sashay about and lure the demon into a back room, he would go in, slap him a few times and get the information they needed. He grinned widely as he looked up at the darker haired boy before him. The music drowned out a lot of the noise around them, lights flickering in different hues of blue, acid green, hot pink and golds. The colors meant nothing to him as he scanned the floor littered with mundies, all unsuspecting of anything behind the curtains. Always so blind to the world that really existed outside of them.

 

“I still say that I'd be a wonderful distraction.” he grinned at Alec as he smoothed back his own blond hair, watching from a distance as his sister coaxed the blue haired boy into the back room.

 

“Well next time, we'll send you in a dress and wig.” Alec said, only half paying attention to him.

 

“I'm already blond, I don't need the wig.” he reminded his _parabatai_ before glancing up at the door that Isabelle had slunk into, slowly pulling out his sword and whispered its name. The light gleamed under the dance floor before he nodded curtly at Alec and slipping into the back door of the club that read NO ADMITTANCE on it, his _parabatai_ hot on his heels. Jace felt a sense of empowerment as he stepped in, the blue haired boy was speaking as Jace slipped in silently.

 

“What's your name?”

 

The dark hair fell over her bare shoulders, a white dress tickling the edge of the floor as she smiled. A red ruby glimmering in the darkness that rested below her collarbone. A faint light spilled down in the storage room through high barred windows that were unkempt. The room was heavily filled with piles of messy electrical cables, broken disco balls and discarded paint cans that littered the entire floor. Her voice was whimsical.

 

“Isabelle.”

 

“That's a nice name.” the blue haired boy took a step toward her, careful of his footing among the wires towards her. Jace felt a small urge to kill him then and there, but knew that it would be counterproductive to the mission, and that Izzy could take care of herself. “I haven't seen you here before.”

 

“You're asking me if I come here often?” there was a giggle following her statement, her hand covering her mouth as if it was rude. She had a bracelet wrapping her wrist, it shone just under the cuff of her laced dress, Jace watched as recognition hit the boy who could see the faint outlines of dark runes etched into her skin, a matrix of swirling lines.

 

This froze him in place. “You--”

 

He didn't finish, Jace watched from the darkness as Izzy moved expertly forward. Whipping her wrist out in a flash, her palm striking a blow to his chest that would have knocked out any ordinary human being, but he only staggered back in response. A gold whip coiled around her wrist and dangled to the floor glinting dangerously in the faint light of the room. Jace's eyes watched, weapon in hand, as the whip coiled around his feet and brought him down with a quick and sudden jerk. Her laugh was musical as it rang through the room. Silently he cursed himself, he should have known, no human would dress as she did. The dress was made to obscure her skin, to obscure the twisting and writhing of the runes that littered her skin.

 

Isabelle yanked the whip back again, securing it tightly. Her smile was playful, but the glint of the cherry red lipstick now flashed like poison back at him. “He's all yours, boys.”

 

Jace laughed a low, rumbling chuckle in response to Izzy's theatrics, she certainly knew how to put on a show. Jace came up behind the boy, Alec by his side tugging the boy up sharply from off the ground with incredible strength. Their fingers digging into his shoulders and arms without mercy. He grinned at the boy as he threw him up against one of the concrete pillars, Alec moving with him as a perfect team. Like two fish dancing through the river, maneuvering it with perfect grace. Wind and water, a perfect flow. Alec pulled the boys arms behind his back, binding his hands with wire as he struggled. Jace helping hold him in place until Alec was done, he glanced up at Alec who nodded that it was finished.

 

He was young, the blue haired boy knew, as he came into view. His eyes glittered dangerously, honey with chips of amber, he seemed not to notice him at first, standing before him and glancing at either side before reaching up and pulling a small amount of debris of off the blue haired boys shoulder and flicking it off.

 

“So,” Jace started, “Are there any more of you?” His eyes were now hard on him as he struggled.

 

“Any other what?” was the only response Jace got, he simply stared at the blue hair and past the illusion of green eyes.

 

“Come on now.” Jace put his hands up as if to dismiss it, the blackened sleeves of his gear slipping just enough to show the inked runes that littered his skin. “You know what I am.” Jace watched as the other boy began to grind a second set of teeth, satisfaction welled up inside Jace as he watched.

 

“ _Shadowhunter,”_ the boy hissed at him, though he meant it as an insult Jace felt gleeful at his recognition, causing a wild grin to spread across his face.

 

“Got you,” his voice was cheery as he stared at his prisoner with triumph.

 

Isabelle laughed while Alec rolled his eyes, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

 

“So, you still haven't told me if there are any other of your kind with you.” he said, pacing back and forth in thought. Stalking around as a lion waiting to pounce his pray.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” the blue-haired boy spoke between gritted teeth, his voice strained with pain.

 

“He means other demons,” Alec pulled his bow up further on his shoulder as he responded curtly, annoyed. “You do know what a demon is, don't you?”

 

The restraints bit into his wrists as he turned his face away, staring at the ground as his mouth worked trying to formulate some sort of sentence.

 

“Demons,” Jace drawled out, the beginning of his brilliant monologue forming in his head. His fingers tracing the letters of the word into the air facetiously. “Religiously defined as hell's denizens, the servants of Satan, but understood here, for purposes of the Clave, to be any malevolent spirit whose origin is outside of our own home dimension--”

 

“That's enough, Jace.” his sister cut in, Jace looked up, slightly offended.

 

“Isabelle's right,” Alec nodded taking a step forward. “Nobody here needs a lesson in semantics—or demonology.”

 

Jace shrugged and raised his head with a smile painted on it. The gesture tossed out an amount of ferocity that spoke of a warrior. “Isabelle and Alec think I talk too much,” Jace let the confidence ring out of his voice as he looked at the demon boy before him. “Do _you_ think I talk too much?”

 

Jace watched as the boy struggled, holding back a sharp reply before begging for his life. “I could give you information,” his voice wavered “I know where Valentine is.”

 

His eyes turned to Alec, who responded with a shrug, Jace's eyes traced back over to the prisoner. “Valentine's in the ground,” he stated calmly. “The thing's just toying with us.”

 

His sister tossed her hair back, a gesture of boredom. “Kill it, Jace. It's not going to tell us anything.”

 

Jace quickly positioned his blade, in a blink of an eye it was raised over his head, the blue sparks fluttering off the blade as he smiled down at the boy. The translucent crystal blade sang in his grip, the red stones inlaid into the hilt felt like home under his hands. He watched carefully as terror rose inside the boy, a sharp inhale of breath as words spewed from his mouth.

 

“Valentine is back!” his protests echoed through the room, tugging at his bonds. “All the Infernal Worlds know it—I know it—I can tell you where he is--”

 

Jace felt cold, anger raising up into rage as all pity drained from his posture. “By the Angel, every time we capture one of you bastards, you claim to know where Valentine is. Well, we know where he is too. He's in hell. And you--” Jace flipped the knife over in his grasp, the edge throwing light off it as if it was soaked in flame. “You can _join him there.”_ His voice was forceful as he drew back, his eyes centered on the boy.

 

“Stop!” a female cried from the distance behind him, “You can't do this!” Jace whirled, weapon slipping from its position and clattering against the concrete ground, he silently cursed himself as his eyes laid on the girl at the edge of the room. His vision narrowed, her red hair licked the edge of her shoulders like flame rising to meet the sky, green eyes glittered in the light streaming in, looking at him in desperation, the features of her face were soft, and he found himself staring at this woman who couldn't be much taller than just above five feet. He surveyed her quickly, a mundane? Her bravery compared to her stature was intriguing, she had no idea what she had just walked into. Alec, Izzy, and the boy bound to the pillar all were equally stunned at the small figure stepping from the shadows.

 

“What's this?” Alec was the first to respond, his voice demanding as he looked back and forth between Clary and his companions, slight accusation at the edge of his tone.

 

“It's a girl,” Jace shrugged, recovering his posture and straightening himself out. “Surely you've seen girls before, Alec. Your sister Isabelle is one.” Jace eyed the red headed girl and took a step forward, he squinted in disbelief. Was it really a mundane standing before him? “A mundie girl,” he muttered mostly to himself. “And she can see us.” his eyes raked over her, looking for runes, or a sign of who she was, or _what_ she was. She was almost certainly a mundane, she wasn't even a witch from the smell of her, she didn't have any of the signs of being anything else. She _couldn't_ be anything else.

 

“Of course I can see you,” she started, a bit rudely Jace thought. “I'm not blind you know.”

 

Her statement gave him a small start, but he found it half amusing. “Oh, but you are,” he bent down to retrieve his blade. “You just don't know it.” he straightened, standing with his shoulders pushed up as if to make himself look bigger in the darkness. An intimidation tactic. “You'd better get out of here, if you know what's good for you.” his voice was hard, he hoped the girl would just turn and leave. She had no business here, go home. Go home and drink your coffee, cry to your boyfriend or whatever it is you mundies do and stare out the window seeing nothing at all. Nothing of the real world.

 

“I'm not going anywhere,” she spoke defiantly, a small spark of respect flashed despite himself “If I do, you'll kill him.” her finger raised and pointed behind him, Jace knew who she was pointing at without turning his head.

 

“That's true,” he admitted halfheartedly. What was the point in lying? He twirled the knife between his fingers theatrically. “What do you care if I kill him or not?” genuine intrigue crept into his voice.

 

“Be-because--” the redhead sputtered, uncertain of herself and fully aware of the three large figures looming over her. Even Izzy was a great deal taller than the petite little fireball that stood in front of him now. “You can't just go around killing people.”

 

“You're right,” Jace gave an amused smile, he wasn't sure why he was toying with her. He should just boot her out and be done with it, but something tugged at the corner of his mind, something didn't add up about this girl. He wanted to know what. “You can't go around killing _people_.” he took a turn pointing at the blue-haired boy whose eyes now narrowed into a slit. “That's not a person, little girl. It may look like a person and talk like a person and maybe even bleed like a person. But it's a monster.”

 

“ _Jace,_ ” he heard the warning tone in Izzy's voice. “That's enough.”

 

“You're crazy,” the girl said, stepping back away from him. The gesture hurt, though he wasn't sure why. He was here to _protect them._ Mundanes, and here she was backing up in fear. He expected it, really, but for some reason this specific girl, this gesture, this moment, bothered him. He pushed the feeling down as quickly as it bubbled up. “I've called the police, you know. They'll be here any second.”

 

“She's lying,” Jace heard his _parabatai_ speak up, but he could sense the doubt creeping into him. “Jace, do you--”

 

But he never really got to finish the sentence because in that very moment their prisoner let out a yowling cry and ripped free from the restraints that lashed him to the pillar, lunging himself at Jace.

 

They tumbled, fell to the ground and rolled one over each other in a grapple. The blue-haired boy reached down and clawed out at Jace, his eyes flickered to the nails of the horrible monster as his fingers glimmered as if they were dipped in metal. Jace was vaguely aware of the redhead still in the corner of the room shuffling away and tripping back onto the concrete. He cursed under his breath before reaching around to find his blade. Isabelle was shrieking now, and Jace could feel the loss of blood as his chest was cut into ribbons.

 

His companions sprung forward, Izzy with her whip in hand as the blue-haired boy extended his claws to lash out once again at Jace. He gave up his search for his blade and pulled his forearm up as a barrier between his face and the claw swiping down at him, his own blood splattered across the floor and his own clothes. He sucked in a breath and held in any cry of pain as the demon reared back. He watched the glitter of Isabelle's whip come down and slide across the blue-haired boys back, tearing skin as it pulled away. He shrieked and fell to his side.

 

Jace seized the moment, silently cursing himself for letting this lesser fighter get the drop on him, he rolled over ignoring the intense pain in his arm and retrieving his blade, he whispered as it glowed in the darkness. His eyes shone dangerously and without mercy as he neared, plunging the blade into the chest of the blue-haired boy. A thick black liquid exploded out from around the hilt, he arched at the sensation of the blade in his chest and went to let out a scream, instead nothing released but the sound of gurgling, he twisted, attempting to free himself but Jace knew he was the stronger of the two in this moment. Jace contemplated a last quirky response, but chose to say nothing instead. He placed his foot on the chest of the creature, and reached down to grab the hilt, freeing the blade from the corpse. The black liquid seeped down the blade ominously.

 

The blue-haired boy's eyes flickered open for an instance, and fixated on Jace. Jace looked back into them, they seemed to be burning up from within him. “ _So be it. The Forsaken will take you all.”_ he hissed between his teeth before his eyes rolled back. Jace snarled in response, a low guttural sound he hadn't meant to emit but the arrogant voice of the dead always bothered him. Jace watched as the body crumpled like rolling up old tinfoil before vanishing entirely, all trace of his existence sprung out of this world and back into its own realm. Jace clutched the weapon at his side before glancing back.

 

The redhead was scrambling to her feet now, kicking free of the electrical wiring that had sprung up around her ankles. She backed away from him, he watched her silently as terror slicked over her face. Jace looked away, pretending as if he wasn't paying attention to her and kept his focus forward as Alec reached him and tugged up his sleeve. Alec pulled his stele and began to trace the _iratze_ on his arm just out of sight of the small redheaded girl, as Isabelle moved form her position to the other side of the room blocking the redhead from leaving. Jace heard Izzy's whip hit skin and tighten, the girl gasping in pain.

 

“Stupid little mundie,” Isabelle said through gritted teeth. “You could have gotten Jace killed.” her eyes fluttered with anger.

 

“He's crazy,” Jace heard her say, as if it was a good defense. Maybe it was to mundanes. “You're all crazy. What do you think you are, vigilante killers? The police--”

 

“The police aren't usually interested unless you can produce a body,” Jace said rather calmly, pulling his sleeve back down and nodding at Alec who watched him as he turned away, Jace's arm still stung as he cradled it, the rune was working slowly, he thought to himself. Jace picked his way carefully across the room towards her, Alec was behind him and he could feel the dark look that covered his face.

 

Jace watched as the girl looked to the place he had killed the boy, and knew she saw nothing. Even if she had the sight, there was nothing to see. He had returned to his home dimension. Which, he thought, would be entertaining to try to explain to her.

 

“They return to their home dimensions when they die,” Jace spoke to her in an even tone. “In case you were wondering.” he tossed in a shrug near the end.

 

“Jace,” he heard the male hiss from behind him. “Be careful.”

 

Jace drew his arm away, blood still splattering bits of his face. It wasn't unfamiliar to him, he didn't seem to notice, but the girl before him was staring at him with some sort of terror and awe, Jace found he kind of liked the sensation and straightened.

 

“She can see us, Alec. She already knows too much.” his voice was hard, he had to get the point across somehow.

 

“So what do you want me to do with her?” he heard Isabelle demand, still annoyed at the girls interruption in the first place. Jace contemplated this for a moment, his eyes were hard on the girl staring at him, he felt a twinge of guilt rise up and buried it down.

 

“Let her go,” he meant to sound more demanding, but his voice came out almost inaudibility, a bit too quiet, betraying his initial intent. Isabelle stared at him in surprise, a bit of anger boiling up over herself. Jace knew that she wouldn't argue, however, and she didn't. Isabelle let the whip slither away from the girl, who rubbed her wrists and still had a look of worry over her face.

 

“Maybe we should bring her back with us,” Alec spoke, to Jace's surprise. “I bet Hodge would like to talk to her.”

 

“No way are we bringing her to the Institute,” Isabelle shot back. “She's a _mundie._ ” Jace scoured the redhead again, still looking for some sort of sign. Anything at all, that would explain the enigma that stood before him. Like a puzzle he couldn't crack, and he was normally quite good at puzzles.

 

“Or is she?” he heard himself saying, without much though. His voice was soft as he felt a bit of pity for the girl that stood before him, a bit of unwavering judgment as he attempted to crack open this girl and see into her mind. “Have you had dealings with demons, little girl? Walked with warlocks, talked with the Night children? Have you--”

 

“My name is not 'little girl',” she interrupted, clearly annoyed. “And I have no idea what you're talking about.” Jace watched her as a moment of doubt flashed across her face, but for the most part she looked sincere. “I don't believe in—in demons, or whatever you--”

 

“Clary?” a male voice came from the doorway, Jace's eyes shot up. _Now that was most definitely a mundane._ He smirked at himself as he looked back at the girl, Clary, he corrected himself. “Are you okay? Why are you in here by yourself? What happened to the guys—you know, the ones with knives?”

 

Jace watched as Clary stared at the boy, bit of a loser Jace thought, he had no idea how he was prowling around with a girl that looked like Clary. Or, why Jace even cared. He frowned slightly at the thought. Clary turned her head and stared at Jace, Isabelle, and Alec. Jace was vaguely aware that he was still covered in blood, but his arm was feeling much better now, he realized for certain the other boy couldn't see them and grinned mockingly at Clary. He shrugged, half apologetically, but still that sense of mocking lingered in his action. Jace eyed up the boy and the bouncer behind him with little interest before returning his gaze to see how the redhead—Clary--would deal with the situation.

 

“I thought they went in here,” she started, rather lamely. “But I guess they didn't. I'm sorry.” Jace watched her carefully, still taking her in as if there was a trace of her that might answer how she could see them. “It was a mistake.” Jace was snapped up from his thoughtful daze at a sharp melodic sound.

 

Next to him, Isabelle giggled.

 

They watched as she left with the the boy and the bouncer, and looked among each other.

 

“Well that was entertaining.” Isabelle smiled, a giggle dancing at the edge of her voice. Alec rolled his eyes.

 

“Come on, let's just get out of here. Whoever she was, it's not important. She's just a mundane.” Alec pulled his bow back on his shoulder and walked out the door. Jace leaned against the wall thoughtfully, causing Isabelle to hesitate.

 

“Jace?” she took a step forward and touched his arm. “Are you alright?” Jace broke from his haze and looked at Izzy, a grin flashing over his face.

 

“Of course.” he pushed his foot off the wall and tugged himself forward, brushing past Isabelle who gave him a concerned look. He ignored her sound of concern that rumbled in her throat and walked out the door behind Alec. The three of them wove through the crowd like a leaf drifting through the air. None of them spoke as the exited the nightclub and wove their way through the streets, past the mundanes who never noticed or heard them. Past the winding lights that when they passed through caused no shadow, through the gravely streets that didn't crunch under their feet, in fact, it made no sound at all. Even Isabelle in her heels didn't make a single sound, not the usual annoying clack that most womens' heels made. They were ghosts, and they loved it.

 

 

 


	2. Sage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is completely pulled form my head, based on a few small things that he said in the next chapter, and a few things I thought of. Chapter 2 in the book is completely devoid of Jace, so this is all off the cuff and I hope it fits into your expectations well. :)

The three of them rode the elevator up. Jace with his arms crossed as he contemplated to himself in silence. Alec was the first to break the unnerving quiet since leaving the club.

 

“We need to report this to Hodge.” he piped up, Jace glanced up and rolled his eyes lightly.

 

“Yeah yeah, well you go ahead.” Jace waved his hand as the elevator open, a blue Persian cat sat just beyond the door of the elevator, staring at them. He let out a annoyed yowl as Alec stepped over him.

 

“I think you should come with us, Jace.” Izzy piped up, Alec shot a surprised look at Izzy. “I think you got the best look at her other than me, Hodge will want to talk about it.” Jace nodded at her reluctantly.

 

“Alright, Church, take us to Hodge.” Jace nudged the cat with his foot who let out a few rumbling sounds of protest before padding his way down the corridors. The three of them followed the winding steps to the library, Jace muttered that he should have known Hodge would be here as the trio made their way in.

 

The library was dimly lit as usual, the fireplace at one end by Hodge's desk was flickering warmth out across the room. The massive figure was hunched over his desk with a raven nestled on his shoulder, deep orbs reflecting the faint light as if staring into the eyes of a phoenix. He didn't even lift his head as they entered, but his voice came out gruffly as he spoke.

 

“How'd it go?” it took him a moment before he picked his head up to stare at the three before him. Jace and Isabelle looked to Alec.

 

Alec straightened, giving off an air of self importance, Jace snorted lightly as Isabelle smacked him in the shoulder. Alec ignored him.

 

“Fine, we didn't learn anything from the demon in question, but there was...a mundane.” Hodge quirked a brow.

 

“What happened to the mundane?” there was an edge to Hodge's voice, as if he was worried they'd done something.

 

“Not so much as to them as it was to us, she could see us. See the demon.” Jace interrupted with a shrug.

 

“Were you glamoured?” Hodge asked, rather incredulously.

 

“No, actually I really prefer parading around in pink tutu's and holding up signs saying 'I kill demons and drink lemonade. And I'm all out of lemonade'.” Jace didn't hide the sarcastic edge that drawled out from his voice, echoed slightly through the library. Hodge sighed.

 

“I could see it.” Isabelle smiled sweetly at Jace, who just grinned back.

 

“Anyways...” Alec cleared his throat, silencing the other two. “She spotted us, freaked out, almost got Jace killed, almost screwed up the whole mission.” Hodge was silent for a moment.

 

“And what did you do with her?”

 

“Jace let her go.” Alec said, Jace raising a brow at him.

 

“She was harmless, scared out of her wits. I wasn't gonna exactly kill her.” Jace didn't hide the slight bitter tone at Alec's accusation, as if he'd done something wrong.

 

“No, I suppose not. But if she could see you while glamoured, she could be dangerous. We don't really know anything about her.” he reached over and dipped a quill inside the inkwell and began to scrawl something on rather archaic looking paper. “I want one of you to keep an eye on her, scout her out. Find out what you can, then, bring her to me. She knows too much if she's seen you, it's likely she could be spreading a bit of panic if we aren't careful.”

 

Jace unfolded his arms and stepped forward. “And if she doesn't want to come?”

 

“Then I'm sure you'll find a way to get her here anyways, can I take your interest as you volunteering, Jace?” Hodge inquired, staring at him expectantly.

 

Jace nodded as Alec spoke up, “I'll go with.”

 

“No.” Jace put his hand up. “I can do it on my own, it's just one mundane, Alec.” he smacked his _parabatai_ on the back and grinned. “Besides, don't you have paperwork?” he tossed a laugh over his shoulder as he strode out of the library, he could feel Alec's dark gaze on him as he left.

 

Jace let his feet guide him, his mind wandering to their mission and the image of the tiny spit-fire of a girl who stood up to three completely armed beings in order to save a single person. Granted, a demon, but how could she have known that? He glanced up just in time to reach the greenhouse door and pushed it open. This place gave him solitude, though he wasn't sure why, the only other things that brought him some peace of mind was the rush of a good fight and take out, because everyone loves a bit of take out now and then.

 

The scent in the greenhouse was powerful, and he took it in gratefully. The thick earthy smell beneath him, the many different scents from the white angel's trumpets, moonflowers, the golden pollen that glittered faintly in the light. There were many plants here, some he knew, some he didn't. Hodge, however, knew all of them. He pulled himself up and perched on one of the rocks, his face inches away from one of the night blooming flowers, he glanced up to see how dark it was, and grinned as he looked back down. Any moment they will be opening up to him.

 

He heard the clanging that reverberated through the room as the flowers took to blooming around him, he couldn't help but smile as they burst open in front of his eyes, the illumination buzzing through the air as he leaped off his rock to tumble between two bushes before springing back to his feet. He pulled a dagger from his belt and flipped it around in his hand while walking through the garden, now brightly illuminated with the bioluminescence around him.

 

From the corner of his eye he caught sight of a deep purple leaf that caused him to stop and stare curiously, he cocked his head to the side as he neared it, leaning down and rocking back on his heels he examined it from a safe distance. He reached out to touch the edge of the purple leaves that went up a stem that, at the base, started green and began to change as it reached upwards.

 

Jace's posture tightened as he felt someone approach, his hand dangling by his weapon before he recognized the figure as Hodge. He let the tension leave his shoulders as he turned back to eye the plant in front of him.

 

“Sage,” came the voice behind him. Hodge placed a hand on Jace's shoulder as he got closer to examine what Jace was looking at. “It's called Clary Sage. In a time long past, mundanes held onto a belief that because the plant is so short lived, and it changes color as it reaches towards the sky, that if you ate the seeds then it would grant you the vision of Heaven, allowing you to see the Fair Folk. Or in other words, they thought it would give them the sight.”

 

Jace glanced up, shock creeping up his face. “Clary....” he let out a breath as he said the name. Hodge turned his head questioningly at Jace. “Clary, I think that was the girls name.”

 

“The mundane?” Jace nodded and Hodge chuckled. “That is interesting indeed. You seem drawn to Clary.” Jace's head snapped back defensively as Hodge nodded to the sage. “The plant, I've never seen you take interest in it before.”

 

“Oh.” Jace stood up and brushed Hodge's hand off his shoulder, deflecting his statements with a grin. “Yeah well, I guess I did today.” Jace secured his dagger into his belt and walked towards the door of the greenhouse, his stride heavy as Hodge watched him leave. Jace slipped out the door frame but not before hearing the distance muttering of Hodge's voice behind him.

 

“I guess so.” Jace closed the door and frowned slightly, what the hell did he mean by that? He shrugged, not really in the mood for Hodge's cryptic games he padded down to his room and slipped in. He glanced around, making sure he was alone before he slipped his hand into his inner pocket, tugging free a single stem littered with purple leaves. He eyed the Clary Sage before retrieving a vase with water near his bed and tucking it away into it's new home.

 

Jace nodded to himself as he tugged off his clothes and collapsed back on his bed, he wasn't really tired, he told himself, but despite that, he fell asleep within minutes.

 

 _Thud, Thud, Thud._ Jace groaned as the thumping at his door grew louder. He slipped out of bed and tugged on some clothes before swinging his door open. His _parabatai,_ Alec, stood staring at him. Alec scanned him up and down before staring at him annoyed.

 

“Aren't you suppose to be on a mission?” Alec inquired, more a statement than a question, Jace thought.

 

“Oh, right the mundie. Suppose I should go save the world from the woes of mundane teen life.” he grinned and turned to grab something a bit better to wear on his mission.

 

“She could be a spy, Jace.”

 

“Some spy, announcing herself like that.” he smiled as he changed his shirt. “Don't worry about it, I got it under control.” he clapped Alec on the shoulders and squeezed before they both turned down the hall and headed their separate ways. Alec yelled for Jace to be careful, though he wasn't sure he saw the point in it. Be careful of what? Redheads?

 

Jace stood outside of her house, carving an apple and eating the pieces slowly. He had already taken a look around, and investigated the woman who, initially, he thought may have been a witch. To both his dismay and relief, she was not. She had come up to be a complete fake, he had been hoping he'd have gotten something interesting but he spent the entire day wandering around the city and he found nothing of importance, interest, or that wasn't utterly boring.

 

He began humming to himself when he noticed a familiar face, he glanced up and watched as Clary's friend walked up to her building, most likely heading up to see her. He watched him intently, the urge to push him into traffic or at least toss an apple slice at his head was rising. In fact, it was hard for him to resist the latter, pulling his arm back he lobbed it almost directly on top of the boy who flinched as it touched his shoulder. Jace grinned as the mundane boy swung around looking for what had hit him, running his hands through his hair in confusion he continued into Clary's building. Jace was positively beside himself with joy on the most interesting part of his day being now completed.

 

Jace found himself slipping behind a few trees as Clary and the mundane boy walked out of the building that led to her home. The mundie had his arm over Clary as they walked, he contemplated tossing the rest of his apple before realizing that would get him noticed. He pulled his stele and quickly drew what almost looked like a six with a few lines at the top, the soundless rune. He tucked himself out of his hiding spot and silently followed Clary and the mundane. Walking past a sea of people who could neither see nor hear him, and Clary seemed idly distracted, too much so to notice him even if she did turn around. That didn't seem to be an issue however, as she did neither.

 

Jace watched as they headed into one of the buildings to get food, he paid little attention to it and excused himself to the other side of the street, walking in now would be much too obvious. The time droned on ridiculously long, what on earth could they be talking about? He found himself getting constantly bored, tossing acorns and other random items he could pick up at mundanes, squinting at clouds and trying to imagine them as great battle scenes, then finally he resolved to simply huffing aggressively as if anyone could hear him to speed up their conversation and do something interesting.

 

 _Finally!_ Jace sprung up and slipped into a crowd of mundanes as Clary and her mundie began to walk again, they headed down the road as he followed in silence. A flyer flew out of Clary's bag and hit next to his feet, he glanced down at it before picking it up off the street.

 

“A poetry reading?” he said, completely to himself, and sighed, scrubbing a hand down the side of his face in exasperation. “Next time I'm letting Alec do this.” He sighed and crumpled up the flyer before tossing it into a nearby waste bin and stuffing his hands into his pockets as he slowly made his way towards what would probably be a completely boring study in mundanes.

 


	3. Confessions of the Unrequited

They rounded a corner and made their way to Java Jones, he had almost abandoned any idea of being sneaky. It was obvious Clary was too distracted to see him or notice her surroundings, a bit disappointing but it made it easier for him none the less. He waited a moment after Clary and her mundane stepped inside to follow suit, taking a seat a ways behind her as he surveyed the people bustling around. A boy was on stage, the tips of his hair was dyed pink making him look a bit ridiculous as he was shuffling about, and another boy sat behind him beating horribly off beat on a djembe.

 

“This is going to suck so hard,” he heard Clary say, and he let himself smile as he watched her. She was tugging at the mundane and urging him towards the door. “If we make a run for it, we can still get away.”

 

The mundane, Simon, shook his head, “I'm nothing if not a man of my word.” Jace shrugged at that, a small moniker of respect following the statement. “I'll get the coffee if you find us a seat. What do you want?”

 

“Just coffee. Black— _like my soul._ ” Jace raised his brows as Clary searched for a seat. Jace had already predicted about where she would sit, and he wasn't far off as she took a spot not far in front of him. The coffee shop was crowded with mundanes, all of them brushing past him as if he were a ghost. The coffee shop smelled heavily of clove cigarettes and various flavors of coffee, chocolate being the dominant scent. Jace stared hard at Clary, watching her every movement as a blonde girl leaned into her.

 

“Excuse me. Is that your boyfriend?” the girl asked, not as quietly as she thought she did, Jace cocked his head to hear better as he watched Clary's hesitation.

 

“Uh, no,” she finally managed to get out. Jace's grin widened. “He's a friend of mine.”

 

The girl beamed in response “He's _cute._ Does he have a girlfriend?” Jace's grin turned into an incredulous stare. _That_ mundie was cute? Jace turned his gaze onto Clary's mundane, squinting and screwing up his face to try and get a different look at him. He still couldn't see the appeal. _Girls,_ he thought to himself as he shrugged. He watched as Clary hesitated again with her reply.

 

“No.” was her short response, Jace was sure he could hear the snort in her voice.

 

“Is he gay?” the girl narrowed her eyes, Jace nodded and mouthed the words _probably_ as he took a seat next to Clary, Jace noted how close he had squeezed up near her.

 

“I hate it when they run out of mugs. Those things are hot.” the mundane blew on his fingers, Jace rolling his eyes wondering why this redhead could possibly be hanging around him. He narrowed his eyes as he watched Clary stare at the mundie boy.

 

“You're staring at me,” oh, so he wasn't completely stupid. He noticed, too. “Why are you staring at me? Have I got something on my face?” Scratch that, utterly an idiot.

 

Jace watched the inner turmoil roll over her face before she finally spoke. “Don't look now, but that blonde girl over there thinks you're cute.” Jace huffed to himself as he zoned out, watching the two banter about the girl in the orange top. Their words lost to him as soon as they were uttered, his eyes flicked up the ceiling dully as the boy on stage began to holler.

 

“...My first poem is called 'Untitled'.” is all Jace heard from it, he glanced up as he began his poem. “Come, my faux juggernaut, my nefarious loins! Slather every protuberance with arid zeal!” Jace stared in horror at the boy on stage as he mouthed the words _zeal_ after he did. He shook his head and cringed as he looked back at the mundie with Clary slipping down in his chair, as if ashamed.

 

It wasn't until the mundane said “There's something I wanted to talk to you about.” that Jace sat forward in his seat, eyes hard on the two before him. He knew the tone in his voice, girls had used it on him, and many poor unsuspecting souls had used it on Izzy before.

 

“Furious Mole is not a good name for a band,” Clary threw out rather quickly. Jace's eyes darted from her to the boy.

 

“Not that,” Simon said. “It’s about what we were talking about before. About me not having a girlfriend.” Jace's eyebrows slowly moved up as the left side of his lip tugged upward. He'd seen boys do this same verbal dance with Isabelle.

 

“Oh.” Clary shrugged in response. “Oh, I don't know. Ask Jaida Jones out,” she shifted uncomfortably. “She's nice, and she likes you.”

 

“I don't want to ask Jaida Jones out.”

 

“Why not?” Clary paused, a small frown playing on her face as the light drifted off her hair, making it seem as if she was catching fire. “You don't like smart girls? Still seeking a _rockin' bod?_ ” Jace heard her resentment in her voice, crossing his arms over his chest he watched, intrigue playing at the back of his mind, and a small voice of bitter jealousy that he swallowed down.

 

“Neither,” he was beginning to bristle now as he spoke. _Just get it over with already, mundie, so I can watch her turn you down._ “I don't want to ask her out because it wouldn't really be fair to her if I did...” his eyes wandered, and Jace felt his mouth go dry. _Get to the point, mundie._

 

“Why not?” Clary was obviously ignoring the blonde girl who was now leaning not-so-subtly over to listen.

 

“Because I like someone else,” he said, a bit too quickly. Jace searched his pockets to see if he had anymore apple pieces left to toss at him but found he'd either eaten or discarded them already.

 

“Okay.” Clary drawled out, her face forming into multiple expressions. “You're not gay, are you?” Jace snorted and used one hand to cover his mouth.

 

“If I were, I would dress better.” he retorted. Jace eyed his clothes and agreed silently.

 

“So, who is it, then?” Clary was either in denial, or completely blind to this mundies plight. Jace felt almost a bit of pity for him, _almost._ Jace watched as the mundane paled further, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He had let out a derisive cough, and a boisterous chuckle followed it. His other arm clutched at his stomach as he tried not to give himself away, but he was certain it was too late.

 

Clary turned around.

 

He quirked his mouth up in amusement, a deep grin spreading across his face. He stared at her, unabashed, surveying the flicker of mock anger that rose in her eyes. He could tell she truly was oblivious, she made a look as if she was sure he hadn't been there before, when in reality, he hasn't been far from her the entire day.

 

“What is it?” the mundane looked in the same direction, but his eyes never focused directly on him. Jace never took his eyes from Clary, he could see her staring daggers that seemed to speak to him. _I see you._ His only respond was to stare at her back, with the unspoken words of _I know._

 

He rose his left hand and waved at her before getting to his feet and casually strolling outside. He was done inside this place, and there was a good oh 70-30 chance she'd follow him, he knew, even if she didn't he could wait until it was over. That place was starting to give him a headache. He slipped out and leaned against the wall just outside, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for the girl to follow him.

 

He tugged his sensor out of his pocket and began poking at it boredly before the doors burst open and she rushed out. He looked up in surprise, he wasn't expecting such a rush from her despite the belief she would have followed sooner or later.

 

In the rapidly moving twilight, her hair was like staring into the sun, a phoenix staring back at him. Her emerald eyes blazed back at him as he took in the sight of her before tucking his sensor back into his pocket. “Your friend's poetry is terrible,” he said, glancing back down. She seemed to blink in disbelief at him.

 

“What?”

 

“I said his poetry was terrible. It sounds like he ate a dictionary and started vomiting up words at random.” Jace didn't study much modern poetry, but he was certain if it sounded anything like that then there was nothing that could get him to have any spark of interest in it.

 

“I don't care about Eric's poetry.” he heard the fury in her voice and found it only amusing. “I want to know why you're following me.”

 

“Who said I was following you?”

 

“ _Nice_ try. And you were eavesdropping, too. Do you want to tell me what this is about, or should I just call the police?”

 

The police line again, Jace was bewildered that she still didn't seem to get it. “And tell them what?” his voice was harsh, aggressive, he couldn't help but be annoyed at her utter denial of the situation. Who _was_ she? “That invisible people are bothering you? Trust me, little girl, the police aren't going to arrest someone they can't see.”

 

“I told you before, my name is not 'little girl,'” she had spoken through gritted teeth at him. “It's Clary.”

 

“I know,” he dismissed, thinking of the night before inside the greenhouse, and Hodge's explanation. “Pretty name. Like the herb, clary sage. In the old days people thought eating the seeds would let you see the Fair Folk. Did you know that?” Jace stated matter-of-a-factly, eager to share what he had learned, but no idea why. It was like he was just vomiting words out like the boy on stage.

 

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” she shook her head.

 

“You don't know much, do you?” he stared lazily at her, a bit of contempt rising as his piece of rather fascinating information was dismissed. “You seem to be a mundane, like any other mundane, yet you can see me. It's a conundrum.” Jace searched her again, fascination and frustration spilling through him all at once.

 

“What's a mundane?”

 

“Someone of the human world. Someone like you.” he stated, as if it was obvious. It should be obvious, anyways.

 

“But _you're_ human,” she said indignantly.

 

“I am,” he started. “But I'm not like you.” he explained calmly, at this point he really didn't care if she believed him. His mission wasn't to make her believe him, it was to make her come with him back to The Institute.

 

“You think you're better. That's why you were laughing at us.” he stared at her, _better?_ He thought, he shook his head.

 

“I was laughing at you because declarations of love amuse me,” he began, considering the times he's seen boys flop all over Izzy in failed attempts to sweep her off her feet. “Especially when unrequited, and because your Simon is one of the most mundane mundanes I've ever encountered. And because Hodge thought you might be dangerous, but if you are, you certainly don't know it.” the words ran out of his mouth quickly, spilling out as he rambled on, attempting to bypass the fact he just announced to her that her mundane was trying to profess his undying love for her.

 

“ _I'm_ dangerous?” he heard her echo, it seemed his rant had successfully thrown her off from his initial statement. “I saw you kill someone last night. I saw you drive a knife up under his ribs, and--” she cut off, her mind racing as she recalled the event from the night before. He watched her for a moment before continuing.

 

“I may be a killer,” he shrugged, “But I know what I am. Can you say the same?” It was obvious to him now, that whatever ability she had, she was completely ignorant of it.

 

“I'm an ordinary human being, just like you said. Who's Hodge?” Jace eyed her, she asked a lot of questions. Curious being, he considered his answer.

 

“My tutor. And I wouldn't be so quick to brand myself as ordinary, if I were you.” he pushed himself off the wall and leaned towards her. “Let me see your right hand.”

 

“My right hand?” she had a habit of parroting him, he noted. “If I show you my hand, will you leave me alone?”

 

 _No._ “Certainly.” he gazed at her in amusement, telling her what she wanted to hear was the best way to get her to cooperate. It'd only been about a day, but he was able to read her like a book. He watched as she reluctantly held out her hand, he could see how pale she was in the bit of light that streamed out of the windows, her knuckles were dusted with freckles, like pin points of a map or like stars decorating the night sky. He reached out and gently took her hand, turning it over as he examined it closely, as if he were trying to find a hidden treasure.

 

“Nothing.” he let out finally, his shoulders slumped with a bit of disappointment. He was certain that was the answer, she had to be like him. He was almost certain she was a Shadowhunter. “You're not left handed, are you?” he felt like he was grasping at straws now.

 

“No. Why?”

 

He shrugged and released her hand. “Most Shadowhunter children get Marked on their right hands—or left, if they're left-handed like I am—when they're still young. It's a permanent rune that lends an extra skill with weapons.” he lifted his hand out to show her. He watched as her face twisted in confusion.

 

“I don't see anything.”

 

“Let your mind relax,” he suggested, he knew she could do it, if she could see him, she could see the runes. “Wait for it to come to you. Like waiting for something to rise to the surface of water.” he explained it the best he could, as he often saw things. Ripples or tidal waves that removed the glamour and showed him the things hidden under the surface. When he was first getting the hand of seeing things, he felt as if he were seeing it all from underwater. Though, that was a long time ago while he was still very young, now it came as second nature as breathing.

 

“You're crazy.” she said, but he could see her relax slightly so he left his hand out for her to focus on, she stared intently and she jumped, it was a minute gesture but he had noticed it. She blinked rapidly in disbelief. “A tattoo?”

 

 _Bingo,_ he thought to himself smugly. He knew she'd be able to see it, it was just a matter of time. “I thought you could do it. And it's not a tattoo—it's a Mark. They're runes, burned into our skin.” he explained, eager and excited for her to hear more.

 

“They make you handle weapons better?” her voice was wary as she questioned him.

 

“Different Marks do different things. Some are permanent but the majority vanish when they've been used.” he explained as easily as he could, watching the fascination that flickered in her eyes. He swelled up with a sense of pride, as if he had just spent months helping a small hatchling break out of its shell. He was eager to tell her more, he waited for her to soak it in.

 

“That's why your arms aren't all inked up today?” she asked him “even when I concentrate?”

 

“That's exactly why.” Jace straightened up, grinning from ear to ear with satisfaction as he spoke. “I knew you had the Sight, at least.” _Even if she isn't a Shadowhunter,_ he added to himself. “It's nearly full dark. We should go.” he glanced up at the sky.

 

“ _We?_ I thought you were going to leave me alone.” _Oh, right, about that._

 

“I lied,” he told her, without feeling the least bit ashamed. “Hodge said I have to bring you to the Institute with me. He wants to talk to you.”

 

“Why would he want to talk to me?” Jace thought about that for a moment, he hadn't really asked, but he was sure he knew why.

 

“Because you know the truth now,” he started slowly before picking up speed in his reply. “There hasn't been a mundane who knew about us for at least a hundred years.” _Give or take,_ he thought. Certainly not in his lifetime, anyways.

 

“About _us?”_ again with the parroting of his words he thought. Yes, that's what he said mundie girl, now get on with it. “You mean people like you. People who believe in demons.”

 

“People who kill them,” he stated evenly. “We're called Shadowhunters. At least, that's what we call ourselves. The Downworlders have less complimentary names for us.”

 

“Downworlders?”

 

“The Night Children. Warlocks. The fey. The magical folk of this dimension.” he explained, he was surprised at even his own patience with her, and she rewarded his patience with a rather quick head shake.

 

“Don't stop there. I suppose there are also, what, vampires and werewolves and zombies?”

 

“Of course there are,” he informed her. “Although you mostly find zombies farther south, where the _voudun_ priests are.” he said, searching his brain for the lessons that Hodge had gone over with him years ago, it'd been a long time since he had to dredge up this information, and he was pleased that he still could.

 

“What about mummies? Do they only hang around Egypt?” he looked at her incredulously.

 

“Don't be ridiculous. No one believes in mummies.”

 

“They don't?”

 

“Of course not,” he was analytical, but amused none the less, though his patience was finally starting to wear down. “Look, Hodge will explain all this to you when you see him.” Jace wasn't a teacher, not by a long shot, he was a warrior, though he had his fun thus far, he was over giving her lessons she would have learned before she turned ten if she were a Shadowhunter. He watched as she crossed her arms defiantly.

 

“What if I don't want to see him?”

 

“That's your problem. You can come either willingly or unwillingly.” he assumed she'd come with him, as he was certain that the firey little mundane would not like it if he hauled her up on his shoulder and carried her off. Though the idea did bring him amount of amusement.

 

“Are you threatening to _kidnap_ me?”

 

“If you want to look at it that way,” he stated, thinking of it more as offering her a once-in-a-lifetime deal rather than kidnapping. “yes.”

 

Her mouth worked silently in protest before a sharp buzzing rustled from within her pack. Jace's eyes followed her gaze down to where her phone was nestled in one of the pockets.

 

“Go ahead and answer that if you like,” he stated generously, regardless, it wasn't going to change that she was coming back with him.

 

He watched as she tried to ignore it before it went off again, she scowled and dug the phone out of her pack, turning away from him she answered it. “Mom?”

 

Jace couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, as Clary began to explain she was fine there was a sharp sound from the receiver that sounded like a woman shouting the word _No._ He silently took a small step closer. The voice was hard to distinguish after that as panic rose in Clary.

 

“Mom!” she shouted, “Mom, are you alright?” he listened as the hammering of voice sounded again on the other side, Jace cocking his head to one side to try to hear more clearly. “Who's found you? Mom, did you call the police? Did you--” Jace watched as her voice cut out, more inaudible sounds came from the phone as she pressed it harder to her ear. Clary shrieked out to her mother suddenly at the phone.

 

“Mom are you there?” she glanced at the screen, Jace felt concern bubbling up.

 

“Clary,” it was the first time he had addressed her with her name, but the panic that was setting on her concerned him, something primal rose up as he felt the urge to protect her. “What's going on?”

 

He watched her attempt to redial as she began to shake, she tried again but this time the phone slipped from her grasp and crunched against the pavement. Jace flinched inwardly as she dropped to her knees and scattered for her phone. She glanced at it, and even from here in the reflection of the moon he could see the long scratch across the screen.

 

“Dammit!” she hissed out, her eyes brimming as if they were about to spill over with tears.

 

“Stop that.” Jace went to her and hauled her to her feet, the emotions she was exhibiting wasn't going to get anything done. If something was wrong, she was going to need to calm down and explain it to him. “Has something happened?” he gripped her wrist tightly, trying to find some semblance of calm in order to resolve the situation.

 

“Give me your phone,” she blurted out, reaching into his pocket and tugging at his sensor. Her hand brushed inside his coat, and felt cold. He shivered involuntarily, but made no attempt to retrieve the sensor. “I have to--”

 

“It's not a phone,” he tried to explain, still holding her wrist, hoping she would see some logic. If he didn't pull the sensor back, maybe she would understand he just wanted to help her. “It's a sensor. You won't be able to use that.”

 

“But I need to call the police!” she almost shouted in response.

 

“Tell me what happened first.” he tried to keep patient with her, as she tugged at her wrist. He had barely noticed the feeble attempt of escaping as his words were almost pleading. “I can _help_ you.”

 

He watched as something rose inside her, and within a moment her fingers raked across his face, the long nails biting into his cheek as he jerked back in surprise. That was most definitely _not_ the reaction he was expecting. She pulled herself free and bolted in the opposite direction, feet pounding on the pavement as he held his face where she had raked him. She took off towards the lights of Seventh Avenue.

 

He stood there for a moment, a mixture of concern and rage wrestling in his gut. Part of him wanted to just let her run off, let her figure it out herself. If she got hurt at this point, it was her own damn fault for not listening. He glanced at his hand to see if she drew any blood, there seemed to be only trace speckles of it, nothing that was even remotely concerning.

 

“Mundanes.” he spat, turning in the other direction. If Hodge wanted her, then _he_ could come get her. He was done trying to be the hero for the night, and absolutely done with trying to help an ungrateful mundane, even if she did have the Sight.

 


	4. Ravener

“Petulant mundanes.” Jace rubbed his cheek that still had a slight burn to it, he didn't see the reason to use an _iratze_ rune on it, but the faint stinging of the light wind that whipped it continued to cause his annoyance to rise. The image of that girl, Clary, running was burned into his mind. He paced the street, turning on his heel and stalking back and forth like a lion pacing about his pride. He glanced up at the single light that kept flickering above him, he swooped down and grabbed a large jagged rock on the ground before thrusting it through the air and at the light. He gave a slight cry of frustration as it shattered the glass and blew the light out, sparks raining down around him like a sparkler burning out on the fourth of july.

 

He paused, taking in a deep breath before centering himself, eyes closed he listened to the faint sounds of traffic in the distance. He took in a deep breath, his chest heaving up as he saw the image of Clary in his mind. He found a bit of peace, until a darkness filled around her, a piercing scream reached his ears and he snapped his eyes open. He had imagined it, but it was enough to make his gut wrench, and feel sick at the idea of something happening to her. That was it, he made his decision, he turned on his heel and sprinted quickly in the direction of Clary's apartment.

 

His foot steps padded silently but swiftly through the streets as he turned the corner, he slowed as he looked up at the window of Clary's home, the light flickering inside them. All seemed calm, he sighed, scrubbing his hand down the side of his face as he leaned up against a pole, arms crossed. He knocked his head against the pole and swore to himself, staring up at the sky before him. It was the shrill sound of a girls voice screaming from within the apartment that caught his attention, he immediately pushed off his post and started in the direction of the entryway.

 

“Clary!” he shouldered his way through the door, busting it from its hinges and leaping up the steps three at a time, he grabbed the railing and threw himself up and over, skipping several more steps before kicking in the front door to her home, that was already slightly ajar. His eyes raked across the scene before him before they laid on the Ravener in the corner that had just slammed its stinger into Clary, her body lay limp against the wall on the opposite side. He pulled out his seraph dagger and threw it at the demon, who also seemed to only be half alive, spasming on the ground near her, catching it's last few breaths before it flopped around near Clary. The seraph dagger sunk into the demon and made a sickening sound as it flickered and crumpled, vanishing into thin air. He had barely even noticed before he was on his knees, sliding down next to the fragile redhead slumped on the floor.

 

“Clary...” he reached down and lifted her up into his arms, adjusting as he glanced around, he heard noises from the stairwell and scanned the apartment until he noticed the window on the other side. He glanced back down at the unconscious girl in his arms. “I got you.” he whispered and pulled her body close to his chest as he took a few steps back, running towards the window and throwing himself out, shoulder first before flying towards the ground. He felt as if he had wings, gliding him and Clary to safety, he wasn't sure how he did it, but he landed with the grace of a cat. He almost wished someone was there to witness it. He glanced down at Clary, plucking a bit of glass from her chest and hoisting her up again to turn the corner, he laid her down on the damp grass outside. People swarming the opposite side of the apartment as he gently adjusted her position on the ground. Jace stared hard at her, searching for a sign of life, he reached his hand to touch the side of her face, and gingerly pushing it to one side he noticed the marks of the stinger on her neck.

 

“Shit.” he glanced around before looking down at his own shirt, he tugged a small dagger out and started to cut strips of the hem of his shirt off and wrap them into make-shift bandages. “I should have never left you alone.” he murmured as he heard a small groan release from the fragile fireball laying in near him. He tried to push down the crushing guilt that was weighing down his chest.

 

“Don't move.” he said as her eyes slowly blinked open, she tugged her head away from him defiantly and winced. Jace had taken them behind the rose bushes, that gave partial cover from the street but still granted Jace the advantage to see the mundanes and most likely demonic police scouring the outer perimeter. He continued to strip the cloth into usable pieces as she tried to get up, she gagged and her body twitched in pain.

 

“I told you not to move,” he hissed “That Ravener demon got you in the back of the neck. It was half-dead so it wasn't much of a sting, but we have to get you to the Institute. Hold still.” he said in a demanding voice.

 

“That thing—the monster—it _talked_.” she had began shuddering uncontrollably, the poison taking its hold on her. He reached into another pocket and pulled out a small container filled with a waxy substance, a salve of sorts that Hodge had concocted that would help slow the poison while they found their way back to the Institute to get it properly taken care of.

 

“You've heard a demon talk before.” he reached as gently as he could under her neck, slipping the stripped pieces of the make-shift bandages behind her and tying it gently around her neck. It wasn't pretty, but it would get the job done, for now.

 

“The demon in Pandemonium—it looked like a person.”

 

“It was an Eidolon demon. A shape-changer. Raveners look like they look. Not very attractive, but they're too stupid to care.” he was talking in a low voice, hopefully trying to distract her and keep her calm, the more she panicked the faster her blood would pump, sending the poison through her body at a speed he's not sure they would be able to bring her back from.

 

“It said it was going to eat me.” Jace fought the urge to retort with an innuendo.

 

“But it didn't. You killed it.” he finished the knot and sat back, glancing at the scene around him, trying to take in an escape route. He glanced briefly at her as she hauled herself into a sitting position.

 

“The police are here.” she croaked out. “We should--”

 

“There's nothing they can do. Somebody probably heard you screaming and reported it. Ten to one those aren't real police officers. Demons have a way of hiding their tracks.” he stated, still searching for a way past them without being noticed.

 

“My mom,” Clary choked out, in almost a sob, Jace thought.

 

“There's Ravener poison coursing through your veins _right now._ You'll be dead in an hour if you don't come with me.” he didn't want to cause her more panic then necessary, but he was done sugar coating it. Not that he did a good job at sugar coating in the first place, but it was of utmost importance she come with him now. Jace picked himself up and reached his hand down to Clary, her emerald eyes were glossy in the light as he stared down at her. She reached up and took his hand, standing up in front of him. He watched as she fell back, and slipped his hand to the crest of her back to steady her upright.

 

“Can you walk?”

 

“I think so.” Jace looked up just in time for a demon, attempting to disguise as a mundane cop started there way. He heard Clary's voice crack. “Her hand--”

 

“I told you they might be demons.” he flicked his gaze to the back of the house. “We have to get out of here. Can we go through the alley?” he turned back to her.

 

She shook her head. “It's bricked up. There's no way--” Jace was staring at her as she burst into a fit of coughs, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. When she moved it away, even he saw the blood glittering against the back of her hand. She whimpered, it was the softest of noises, and was done in less then a second but it filled him with rage, fear, and concern all at once. He grabbed her wrist in a split second decision, he turned her wrist over, he could see the white of her flesh twinkling under the moonlight, the blue veins under her skin seemed sickly and he knew it was running the poison through her body. It wouldn't be long before it infected her heart, her mind, and devoured her. He reached into his pocket and pulled his Stele out, he took one more glance up at her face, and with renewed determination began to trace circles on her skin. The unseen rune burning into her skin.

 

“What's that supposed to do?”

 

“It'll hide you, temporarily.” Jace slipped the stele back into his belt. _If it doesn't kill you._ He pushed the thought aside, it was going to work. _It had too_ work. His mind fought back ferociously, as if willing the mark to work properly. He glanced at her puzzled face and even now, at the brink of death, she was curious. “My stele.”

 

He had almost expected her to push further, but she looked up at him dazed. “Jace,” her voice was barely a whisper as she crumpled into him. He slid his hands under her, catching her mid-fall. He wasn't going to let her go, and he wasn't going to let her die here. Not now. _Not ever._ He swung her up into him, pulling her closer to his chest in a protective hold.

 

“We'll get you back, the Covenant will be able to fix you up.” he muttered to her as he turned and quickened his pace towards the Institute, he looked down in time to see her head lull back, her eyes focusing on him for a second before limping back and staring at the sky. He shifted her closer to him as he moved through the streets.

 

“Just hold on, Clary.” his voice surprised even himself, pleading for her to stay conscious, but it was much too late for that. It took him longer than he wanted to get back to the Institute, but when he did he was immediately heading towards the infirmary. The fluffy cat following him, meowing it's concern at him.

 

“Get Hodge, Church. Alec! ALEC!” Jace hollered down the hall as he went into the infirmary. “ALEC, DAMMIT WHERE ARE YOU?” he laid her gently on the bed as Isabelle came bursting through the door.

 

“Jace? Jace oh my god what happened?!” she sprinted to the opposite side of the bed and stared down at the mundane. “Oh god Jace is that the mundie?!”

 

“Her names Clary, Izzy. Get me a wash cloth, where's Hodge?” Isabelle stood up and went to the opposite end of the room and grabbed a rag. She dipped it in warm water before turning it over to him.

 

“Weren't you suppose to bring her to Hodge not _kill_ her?” Isabelle regretted the words as they left her mouth, Jace shot her a dark look and dabbed Clary's forehead. Isabelle watched with horrified interest.

 

Alec burst into the room, his bow in hand as he was on high alert, he spotted Jace first, not seeming to see Clary at first until his eyes darted towards her. “What exactly is going on here?” he demanded, urgency in his voice.

 

“I need Hodge. She was stung by a Ravener, where is he?” Jace's voice was urgent as Alec gave him a dead stare. “ _Now,_ Alec!” Alec shook his head to clear it and without another word ran out of the room.

 

He returned a few moments later with Hodge hot on his heels, Church padding in after them. Hodge immediately shooed everyone out of the way as he knelt next to Clary. He looked up at Jace.

 

“What happened?” Hodge stood up and barked a few orders at Isabelle for her to grab various ingredients, she went without complaint. “Alec I need you to head up to the greenhouse and get a few things for me.” Alec nodded as Hodge listed a few things off, he turned and briskly walked out of the room.

 

“Ravener. It attacked her home, I guess her mothers missing.” Jace tossed his hand out gesturing at Clary. “I got there, and it was already half-dead, but then again, so was she. She killed it, though.”

 

Hodge took the supplies from Isabelle and began to mix them before removing the bandage from Clary, he inspected the wound carefully. “You used the salve, good. That should help, if anything will save her, it's the hope the poison hasn't run it's course yet.” He began to apply another sticky substance to her neck.

 

“Hodge.” Jace started, and Hodge hummed in response, half-listening, and half working. “She said it spoke to her. Said something about eating her.” Hodge quirked a brow in response, but said nothing.

 

Jace hung his head as he looked at the limp body of Clary laying on the bed, his eyes glossing over where he drew the rune. “Anything I can do?”

 

Hodge shook his head. “I think Isabelle and Alec are gathering all I need, thank you Jace. Report to me later full detail on _exactly_ what happened, hmm?” Jace swallowed and nodded before heading out of the room. Unable to stare at the pale complexion of the mundane girl any longer. _But she isn't mundane,_ a voice in his head said. He shook it away before heading to the training room.

 


End file.
